Conference ended on 7th April and we stayed on for 2 more days to explore the city before travelling to York for lunch and on to Hull to visit my dad. At York station we sought out a bar famed for its beer, the York Tap, where we sampled Independence from the Bristol Beer Factory, Curious from Magic Rock and Norseman (containing hops and spruce) from the Ilkley Brewing Company. But there was no food so we walked into the city and stopped at the Maltings for lunch with Rooster’s Rude Boy.

Then it was a tiny shuttle train towards Hull. We got off at Hessle and walked into the town square and found a cab to dad’s. He was on good form, the opening af a bottle of Highland Park within an hour of our arrival boded well. He had bought pies from a local butchers, and we ate meat pie for supper, accompanied by a bottle of Rioja. Fruit pie was offered for dessert, but the first was big enough. Dad wants an i-pad. He has read baout them, likes the look of them, but cannot think what he’d do with one. All his questions were aimed at finding a good reason to buy one. The flat is full of gadgets that seemed like a good idea at first.

On the way into Hull passed a sign of the times – a ‘Cash for Clothes’ shop offering £5 for every 10kgs of clothing.

Cobbled lane in old Hull, near the courts and river Hull

Dragged Jackie to a series of pubs, The Vine and Ye Olde White Harte both seemed rather run down and drab, but Walter’s Bar felt good, and they sold us Tring Brewery Side Pocket for a Toad and Greaty heck’s Peace and Love. The owners of Walters seem to have opened two more bars on the short Scale Lane. One was shut (open evening only) but we tried the Lion and Key after looking to see if the new bridge over the river Hull was open yet (it was not).